I think I've settled my doubts about the chickens surviving a Chicago winter in their Eglu. Now I'm thinking about how well the eggs will survive the cold. Two of my pullets are now laying, but they do so during a time of day that I'm usually not home. I know the laying cycle is supposed to be about every 25 hours, meaning they won't be laying at the same time every day, but if I'm not there to get the eggs right away in the winter will they freeze? At what temp does an egg in shell freeze? Winter days here typically range from 35-20 F, but sometimes drop as low as 15 F. If they lay eggs in the nest box in the AM or early afternoon and I can't collect the eggs until I get home (which may be as much as 9 hours later) then will the eggs be frozen? Anyone with an Eglu (or even just a small coop of some sort) in a place with cold winters that can share your experience with this? Of course, I'm assuming that the girls will continue to lay through the winter, which will hopefully be the case!
Well, we live about 65 miles away from you in IN. Hey there! Last winter, our girls layed their eggs sometime in late-morning, and we didn't get their eggs until late evening. Our temps are about like yours, at about anywhere from 10-30 degrees, sometimes much lower. If it's 35 degrees OUTSIDE their coop (or doghouse ), it's not going to be that cold in their coop, right? And a refrigerator is about that cold. Also, the hen's body heat will keep the eggs warm. I don't think you have to worry about frozen eggs.
LN, We live well north of you (Sault Sainte Marie), and have little trouble with the cold affecting our chickens - NEG! 35 has been known here on rare occassion. It does depend on the bird though - we have a banty OE roo who is too slight and NO fluff to him, so he comes in when the weather gets bitter. We also lose any beautiful combs up here, though rose combs come through without trouble. Our eggs do freeze, though I don't really know at what temperature. this winter we'll have a bona-fide laying flock, so I MAY put some heating pads in their nest boxes. On a timer, of course. I'll have to do the math and see how expensive that would get. Hmm - how about this for any idea. I've not heard of it, but may be worth trying. Use 2X4s as roosts and hook up a heating coil like you use on your eaves to keep the birds a bit warmer during the night. -Frank